Shirley Ella Dearborn, beloved wife, daughter, sister, aunt, great aunt and retired physician, a caregiver and friend to all who knew her, passed away on May 4, 2020, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She was born in Presque Isle, Maine on January 18, 1952 to Vance Edward Dearborn and Evelyn Ella Ellsworth Dearborn. In her childhood she lived in Ashland, Bridgeton, and Dexter, Maine and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where her parents were in graduate school.
The Dearborn family moved to Orono, Maine in 1964 where Shirley attended high school, setting several school academic records and graduating in 1969, as first in her class. As a young teenager Shirley became committed to a life of helping others, primarily through medicine. To this end Shirley entered Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, an institution known for excellence in preparing students for medical school. She graduated with majors in biology and chemistry from Clark in 1973 Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa.
Later that year Shirley entered the University of Pennsylvania Medical School. At Penn she was chosen as a member of Alpha Omega Alpha, the medical honor society. She graduated in 1977, receiving a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree. She was a pediatrics resident at the Tufts New England Medical Center in Boston for the next three years.
In 1980, Shirley became a practicing pediatrician in the National Health Service Corps of the U. S. Public Health Service. This was a payback-in-service program for a scholarship covering her medical education. As a result, Shirley was appointed as the first ever pediatrician to serve the families of Seminole, Oklahoma and its surrounding communities.
In 1984, Shirley became a practicing pediatrician at the Central Oklahoma Medical Group (COMG) in Oklahoma City, and for several years chaired the Department of Pediatrics at Baptist Hospital. At COMG Shirley began the second part of her medical career, medical administration. She was the Interim Medical Director for COMG and for Prudential Healthcare's Oklahoma City office, continuing in similar positions with those organizations until 1997 for Prudential and 2001 for COMG. She then was partner in Dearborn, Powell and Associates medical consultancy until 2004.
In 2004 Shirley joined Integris Health as Medical Director responsible for all Integris residency programs, and shortly thereafter also became responsible for Continuing Medical Education. At points during her years at Integris, Shirley also was Medical Director for the Integris Institutional Review Board, for case management at Baptist Hospital, and for the Integris organ donation program. In March 2018 Shirley retired from Integris Health.
For more than 30 years Shirley was a member of St. Luke's United Methodist Church in Oklahoma City, where she met the love of her life, Randall J. Jones, Jr. in 1984. Shirley and Randy were married on July 23, 1988 at St. Luke's. Shirley loved to walk outdoors and liked to travel and swim. She had a passion for music and attended concerts of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic for many years. After her retirement, Shirley became a regular walker at the YMCA Healthy Living Center (formerly Pacer Fitness Center). At the "Y" she met many special and caring friends.
Shirley is preceded in death by her father Vance Dearborn. She is survived by her husband Randall Jones, her mother Evelyn Dearborn, brother Errol, sisters Susan and Lynne, their spouses, respectively, Lauren, Paul, and John. Also surviving are nieces and nephews, including Erik, Kristin, Monica, Sunil, Karishma, Isaac, and Maxwell; grandnephew Alex, and grandnieces Julia and Kahmiya.
Visitation will be at Hahn-Cook/Street & Draper Funeral Directors, 6600 Broadway Extension on Sunday, May 10, from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Private graveside services will be on Monday, May 11. At a later date, when public health precautions permit, a Memorial Service will be held at St. Luke's United Methodist Church, 222 NW 15th Street, Oklahoma City. Donations in Shirley’s memory may be made to the YMCA Healthy Living Center – Integris, 5520 N. Independence, Oklahoma City, OK 73112.
